A father of four, Tour de Rock rider, does his part to help protect kids

Saanich resident, Brent Vose, joined the RCMP because he wanted to keep communities safe so people don’t have to worry about the bad things in life, so getting involved in the 2018 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock was an easy decision.

The Tour de Rock is a two-week, 1,000 kilometre bike ride that raises money for pediatric cancer research and support programs for kids with a history of cancer.

Many of the riders are first responders and each rider is paired with a child who still has or has beaten cancer, or the sibling or support person of a child with cancer.

Vose has had family members touched by cancer, and as a father of four, he didn’t think twice.

“I’m riding for my four kids and do anything to protect them and give them a happy life,” Vose said.

“It’s a fundraiser to give kids a happy life, and in some way it protects my kids
and their friends at their schools.”

He said meeting kids who have had cancer has shown him the impact Cops for Cancer has on the cancer survival rate. His junior rider is a 5-year-old girl from Sooke who was diagnosed with leukemia at about 18 months old and had bone marrow transplants to help her beat it and lift her into remission. Vose met her in person at the RCMP Musical Ride and described her as “cute, bubbly and a bit shy.”

It was rewarding for him to know that his efforts could help someone like her. “When I heard her story it was heartbreaking, and dealing with cancer with a child you love and you can’t do anything about it,” he said. “But, it’s a good story in that she was able to get past that.”

He has been a member of the RCMP for more than 10 years and with the West Shore RCMP for one year. He enjoys cycling and rides his bike to work on a regular basis. Two of his children are into cycling and he rides with his youngest son on the Lochside Regional Trail and Galloping Goose.

Vose started riding in March and was selected for the team, along with 21 other riders, in May. The team rides together three days per week doing speed and hill training and long rides. As the ride is Island-wide, most of the time the north and mid-Island group trains together and the south-Island group trains together.

To prepare for the ride, the group is doing a mini five-day mock tour starting at the Jordan River.

Vose moved to the Island about five years ago, and is impressed with the support for the communities on the Island for the event.

“Fundraising efforts from places around the Island coming together and supporting the cause has been an eyeopening thing,” he said.

Vose is participating in numerous fundraising events leading up to and during the ride, some on the West Shore. There was a first responder softball tournament Sept. 8 and 9 at Centennial Park, off of Goldstream and Carlow in Langford and a Tour de Rock Gala will be held at the Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort and Spa on Oct. 3. For more information on events visit tourderock.ca

The ride takes place over 11 days, starting in Port Alice on Sept. 22 and finishes in Victoria on Oct. 5.